DOUGLAS SHINDLER
Douglas Shindler is a painter and photographer based in Sullivan County, New York. Shindler’s work addresses themes of violence, street life, sport, and community. His images center the underrepresented and the overlooked. His gestural impasto paintings with expressive and rich tones are narrative driven and focus on figures, their actions, and their stories, but also on dumpsters, cars, clothes, hydrants, and bikes. They take inspiration from hip hop lyrics and sayings from Black culture. Shindler’s large format photographic prints celebrate underrepresented people in rural places. The visual field becomes a home for those left out. Shindler has been a practicing artist since 2013.
MICHAEL DAVIS
Mike Davis is a Guyanese-American photographer based in Monticello, New York. Davis’ photographs capture moments of aggression, honesty, vulnerability, and strength. Imbuing subjects with a sense of heroism and overt power, he draws inspiration from old family photographs and new fashion trends to create colorful compositions of future yesteryears. Davis aims for energetic and immortal imagery that can preserve his culture and community for future generations. He has been a practicing artist since 2009.
OUR MISSION
The Black Library’s mission is to celebrate Black culture and history, as well as create a collaborative, creative, and educational atmosphere for the residents of Sullivan County, New York. The Black Library will carry a diverse collection of books by Black authors, exhibit visual art by Black artists, offer educational workshops for children and adults, and host talks and community discussions. Welcoming local residents and visitors of all backgrounds, the project will promote greater understanding of Black history and culture, advocate for racial justice in Sullivan County and beyond, and act as an incubator for the next generation of local artists.
